Our weekly pick of events to help you make the most out of your week...

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Il Trovatore

Live from the Royal Opera House. Il Trovatore is one of the great operas of the Romantic period, a story of passion and blood, love and vengeance, disaster and murder. The famous Anvil Chorus is just one of the highlights of Verdi’s exceptional music, which captures the shifting emotions of the drama through impassioned love duets, fiery solos and stirring choruses.

Chelmsford City Theatres, Fairfield Road, Chelmsford, CM1 1JG, Tuesday, January 31, 7.15pm. Details: 01245 606505

More Eavesdropping

Unlike most plays which are either scripted or devised, More Eavesdropping is unique in that it is neither. The piece is created by a company of actors who spend several weeks covertly recording real people engaged in genuine conversations. These recordings are then scripted, explored and reinterpreted through rehearsal to find their dramatic potential. Each vignette is a miniature work of art in itself and offers the audience a great insight into the world around us.

The Barons Court Theatre, 28A Comeragh Road, W14 9HR, Tuesday, January 31, to Saturday, February 11. Details: 020 8932 4747

Lockwood Kipling

Explore the life, work and lasting impact of John Lockwood Kipling (1837-1911), an artist, teacher, curator and influential figure in the Arts and Crafts movement. Lockwood Kipling was a social campaigner for the preservation of Indian crafts, a craftsman whose terracotta panels can still be seen on the exterior of the V&A, and an illustrator of books by his son, the renowned writer Rudyard Kipling. This exhibition uncovers the history of the V&A’s collections through the life of Lockwood Kipling who played a significant role in shaping the foundation collection.

V&A Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL, until Sunday, April 2. Details: 020 79 422000

Angry Boater

Joel Sanders’s show is an insightful and entertaining exploration of what it’s really like to live on London’s canals.

The Backyard Comedy Club, 231 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, E2 0EL, Wednesday, February 1, 7.45pm. Details: angryboater.com

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Singin’ in the Rain

A silent movie star struggles to navigate the pitfalls of the new ‘talkies’ when talking pictures become all the rage.

Queen’s Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT, Wednesday, February 1, to Saturday, February 4. Details: 01708 443333

Opera Boys

Leading men from London’s West End combine in a powerhouse of vocal harmony to deliver a stunning blend of music ranging from opera to pop. The Opera Boys combine their exceptional classically trained voices with their experience, showmanship and personality to deliver a wonderfully entertaining show.

Millfield Theatre, Silver Street, Edmonton, N18 1PJ, Wednesday, February 1, 7.45pm. Details: 020 8807 6680

Crash Course for the Ravers

Cardiff-based artist Barrie J Davies brings his new pop surrealist paintings to Leytonstone. The artwork is a chaotic and playful visual explosion, exploring humour, subversion, the absurd, escapism, the far- fetched and, generally speaking, the ‘silly side of life’. Influenced by the internet, 24 hour shopping, trashy magazines, kitsch obsessions, day-glo fashion and dubstep beats, Barrie’s work fuses together in a mishmash of pop styles.

The Stone Space, 6 Church Lane, E11 1HQ, Thursday, February 9, to Sunday, March 5. Details: stonespace.gallery

Birthday Suit

Richard is throwing a birthday party and inviting all his colleagues, but only two people show up.

Old Red Lion Theatre, 418 St John Street, EC1V 4NJ, until Saturday, February 4. Details: 020 7837 7816